Healthcare Industry News: sapropterin
News Release - March 2, 2009
BioMarin Appoints Dr. Henry J. Fuchs as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
NOVATO, Calif., March 2 (Healthcare Sales & Marketing Network) -- BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN ) announced today the appointment of Dr. Henry J. Fuchs as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Dr. Fuchs will replace longtime BioMarin CMO, Dr. Emil Kakkis."I am excited to join a company founded on great science, with a proven track record and a pipeline of important new opportunities," said Dr. Henry Fuchs, newly appointed Chief Medical Officer of BioMarin.
Dr. Fuchs most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Onyx Pharmaceuticals. He has served as a director of Ardea Biosciences since November 2001 and as Chief Executive Officer of Ardea from January 2003 until June 2005. Dr. Fuchs first joined Ardea as Vice President, Clinical Affairs in October 1996 and was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer in November 2001. From 1987 to 1996, Dr. Fuchs held various positions at Genentech where, among other things, he had responsibility for the clinical program that led to the approval for Genentech's Pulmozyme. Dr. Fuchs was also responsible for the Phase III development program that led to the approval of Herceptin to treat metastatic breast cancer. Dr. Fuchs received an M.D. degree from George Washington University and a B.A. degree in biochemical sciences from Harvard University.
About BioMarin
BioMarin develops and commercializes innovative biopharmaceuticals for serious diseases and medical conditions. The company's product portfolio comprises three approved products and multiple clinical and pre-clinical product candidates. Approved products include NaglazymeŽ (galsulfase) for mucopolysaccharidosis VI (MPS VI), a product wholly developed and commercialized by BioMarin; AldurazymeŽ (laronidase) for mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I), a product which BioMarin developed through a 50/50 joint venture with Genzyme Corporation; and KuvanŽ (sapropterin dihydrochloride) Tablets, for phenylketonuria (PKU), developed in partnership with Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany. Other product candidates include 6R-BH4 for cardiovascular indications, which is currently in Phase 2 clinical development for the treatment of sickle cell disease, and PEG-PAL (PEGylated recombinant phenylalanine ammonia lyase), which is currently in Phase 1 clinical development for the treatment of PKU. For additional information, please visit http://www.BMRN.com. Information on BioMarin's website is not incorporated by reference into this press release.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements about the business prospects of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., including, without limitation, statements about: the expectations of revenue and sales related to Naglazyme, Kuvan, and Aldurazyme; the financial performance of the BioMarin as a whole; the timing of BioMarin's clinical trials of 6R-BH4 for other indications, PEG- PAL, GALNS and other product candidates; the continued clinical development and commercialization of Aldurazyme, Naglazyme, Kuvan, and its product candidates; and actions by regulatory authorities. These forward-looking statements are predictions and involve risks and uncertainties such that actual results may differ materially from these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: our success in the continued commercialization of Naglazyme and Kuvan; Genzyme Corporation's success in continuing the commercialization of Aldurazyme; results and timing of current and planned preclinical studies and clinical trials; our ability to successfully manufacture our products and product candidates; the content and timing of decisions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Commission and other regulatory authorities concerning each of the described products and product candidates; the market for each of these products and particularly Aldurazyme, Naglazyme and Kuvan; actual sales of Aldurazyme, Naglazyme and Kuvan; Merck Serono's activities related to Kuvan; the results of the final analysis of the ASPEN trial by La Jolla Pharmaceuticals; and those factors detailed in BioMarin's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, the factors contained under the caption "Risk Factors" in BioMarin's 2007 Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the factors contained in BioMarin's reports on Form 10-Q. Stockholders are urged not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. BioMarin is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
BioMarinŽ, NaglazymeŽ and KuvanŽ are registered trademarks of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
AldurazymeŽ is a registered trademark of BioMarin/Genzyme LLC.
Source: BioMarin Pharmaceutical
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